Speakers and events

Jaime Lerner

Guest Speaker on Regional Growth and Urban Design - Jaime Lerner

3 - 4 November 2005

Jamie Lerner

Brazilian architect Jaime Lerner was elected President of the International Union of Architects by the Union's General Assembly, which was held in Berlin (Germany), from July 27th to 29th, 2002. He took up his duties, for a period of three years, at the 97th session of the UIA Council on July 30th, 2002.

Born in Curitiba, capital of the State of Parana, in 1937, Jaime Lerner graduated in architecture and urban planning from the School of Architecture of the Federal University of Parana in 1964.

Responsible for the creation of the Institute of Urban Planning and Research of Curitiba (IPPUC) in 1965, he participated in the preparation of the Master Plan for the capital of Parana that resulted in its physical, economic and cultural transformation. He was elected mayor of the city for three terms: 1971/75, 1979/83 and 1989/92.

During his first term as Mayor of Curitiba, he consolidated the urban transformation of the city and implemented the Integrated Mass Transportation System acknowledged worldwide for its efficiency, quality and low cost. During his two ensuing terms, in addition to pursuing his innovative urban planning, Lerner intensified social measures that place Curitiba among the capitals of the world with the highest quality of life.

Elected Governer of Parana in 1994, re-elected in 1998, Jaime Lerner promoted the greatest economic and social transformation in the history of the State through a programme encompassing the questions of land use, transport, sanitation, health, education, recreation and culture.

Jaime Lerner is an Urban and Regional Planning professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Federal University of Parana (Brazil) and was a guest professor at the University of Berkeley (California, USA). He is an United Nations consultant in urban planning and winner of many awards anddistinctions, notably: the United Nations Environment Award, in 1990; the 1996 UNICEF Children and Peace Award; The Netherlands Prince Claus Award for Culture and Development in 2000; the World Technology Award from the National Museum of Science and Industry (London), in 2001.

Jaime Lerner is also winner of the UIA 2002 Sir Robert Matthew Prize for Improvement in the Quality of Human Settlements, which was officially presented to him on July 25th, 2002, during the UIA Congress in Berlin.

Details of Visit
Jamie's visit to New Zealand enabled him to share his experience of urban renewal, strategic regional planning and transport-land use integration with New Zealand. Also to share his experience of getting challenging infrastructural projects implemented through political, economic and social barriers. Invitation was extended jointly by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and the NZ Institute of Architects, after a NZ delegation, including an ARC representative, visited Curitiba in 2003. The ARC led Jaime's programme in Auckland.

The visit included: A guided tour of Auckland; Pöwhiri and traditional Maori dinner attended by Curitiba 2003 study team; Media opportunities; Lunch discussion with a select group of key decision makers in order to impart ‘vision', with an opportunity for discussion, held at RNZYS; Interactive seminar with a wider group of implementers; Public lecture; Dinner hosted by NZ Institute of Architects at Northern Club.

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